Thill-coupling.



No. 774,237. PATBNTBD Nov. 8,190.4. L. J. mLLoN. v THILL GOUPLIWNG.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1 901.

N0 MODEL.

lllllll l PATENT Patented November 8, 1904.

EETcE.

LYBRAN J. DILLON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO VILLIAM BURNS AND ALEXANDER B. SHAW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Ratent No. 774,237, dated Noyember, 1904:.

` Application led May 9, 1901. Serial -llo. 59,4001l (No model.) y Y To (if/ZZ whom it may concern: p,

Be it known `that I, -LYEEAN J.'D1LL0N, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain 'newA and useful Improvements in 'Phill-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, andeXact speciiication. l

My invention relates to thill-couplings; and its object is to dispense with the necessity of the pivotal bolts now in extensive use in this class of wagon -fixtures,- the wear of which causes so much rattling' and has given rise to numerous inventions designed to overcome this objection, and a further object of my invention is to furnish pivotalmean's and bearings therefor of such character that the shafts can be easily removed therefrom or inserted thereim and anypacling of any kindsuoli, forr instance, as leather or rubber or other material-can be easily inserted to prevent rattling and take up wear. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described, and as particularly pointed out inl the claims. y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shafts removed from the coupling. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the coupling detached and with clipbar broken away. Fig. Sis a plan view` o fthe coupling and portion of axle towhich itis attached. Fig. is a side view thereof. Fig. 5 is avertical section taken on dotted lines 5 5, Fig. 3,

showing the bearings locked. v Fig. 6 isla.`

similar view showing the bearings opened. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal central section through the detached case of the coupling. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the head of the coup# ling having' the lsliding c ase removed.

In the drawings, A represents a clip adapted to be clamped to the forward aXle of the vehicle and ,having the forward end of its bar a increased both vertically and laterally to produce aI-head-B.- The forwardfendof this'y head has two corresponding parallel lugsb I), projecting forward therefrom, the outer surfaces of which are in the same plane as the vertical longitudinal sides of head B and have corresponding open bearings c c in their upper edges. The space between theselugs is of 5o such width that the rear ends QZ Z of the thills of the shaft Ccan be placed between them, and the laterally projecting corresponding trunnions orbearing-studs n a, journaled in the open bearings c o. The upper edges of 5 5 the lugs b bbetween the open bearings and their respective extremities are in aA plane slightly lower than the portion of their upper edges to the rear of said bearings, which latter, it will be observed, are in the same ,hori- 6o zontal plane as the upper surface of the head. B, and the side edges of said head above the horizontal rplane of the upper edges ofthe said forward ends, of lugs o o are provided with'corresponding lateral flanges ff, sub- 65 stantially4 as shown. l

D represents a channeled case, the width of which corresponds to the distance between the outer edges of the flanges ff of the head and the length to that of said head B and the lugs 7o Z1 combined. `The distance between the parallel side walls or members ,EI E of4 this case correspond to the thickness of headjB,` and the mean depth of said walls Ejcorresponds tothe-height of the head below the anges f f thereof. The side walls of this case D are provided in their inner surfaces'near their forward ends with recesses 0 o, which., enter the upper edge and are slightlyvdeeper than the open bearings c. The widthof recesses o at 8o the upper edgeof 'said wallsEis about twice the diameter of the laterally-projecting trunnions'a of the thillsd of the shafts C; but the entrance to these recesses ois reduced to about one-half this width by shields Gr, projecting transversely and 'inwardly toward each other from the forward portions of the saidupper edges of walls E. Case D is' slipped-longitudinally upon and when in proper relation thereto incloses the longitudinal-sides ofsaid 9o head B below the flanges ff thereof.,` `The shields G of the case engage 'and overlap the upper edge of the forward extremity of lugs b and when in position to lock the trunnions of the thills d in the coupling cover the entrance of the open bearings c c and bear against the shoulders created by making the upper edg'es of said lugs to the rear of the open bearings higher than that portion in front of the same. The case ris retained in operative engagement with the head B by means of a bolt H, which ispassed up through a longitudinal slot /t in the rear portion of the bottom of the case and up through a suitable opening in the rear portion of the head and is provided with an easily-manipulated nut K on its upper end extending above the head. `When it is desired to lock the thill in the coupling, the case is moved into the position shown in Fig. 6. rlhis leaves the open bearings c c in lug's L uncovered, and the trunnions n a of the thills can be easily inserted therein. The case is then moved longitudinally back to the position shown in Figs. 2, et, and 5 of the drawings and until the rear end of the shields Gr bear against the shoulders 7c of the lug's L and the bearings c are covered, whereupon the bolt H is tightened by manipulating' nut K until the head B and case D are securely clamped together. This locks the trunnions in the bearings. and the thills to the axle. Should the trunnions wear and the coupling' have a tendency to rattle, this can be readily cured by stuffing leather -or rubber or other fabric in the space above and around said trunnions. The web of the case prevents .such packing from falling out of the coupling', and a little attention from time to time would prevent or cure any rattling which otherwise might occur.

W hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv

l. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of the thills of which are provided with suitable trunnions; of a thill-coupling' consisting of a suitable head havinglugs extending from the forward end thereof which are provided with open bearings adapted to rcceive said trunnions, and a longitudinally-adjustable case provided with means for engag'- ing the upper surface of said lugs and adapted to close said open bearings.

2. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of the thills of which are provided with suitable trunnions; of a thill-coupling' consisting of a suitable head having' corresponding' lugs extending therefrom which are provided with open bearings comprising' notches in the upper edges of said lugs to receive said trunnions, and a longitudinally-adjustable channeled case inclosing and contacting with the sides and bottom of said head, and provided with means overlapping' the upper edges of said lug's and covering said notches.

3. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of the thills of which are provided with suitable trunnions; of thill-couplings consisting' of a suitable head having corresponding lugs extending' therefrom, which are provided with open bearings and a longitudinally-adjustable channeled case having corresponding' side walls, the lower portions of which are connected by a web, said web and side walls adapted to bear against and lap the longitudinal sides of the head, and laterallyprojecting wings carried by the forward portions of the upper edges of said sides sliding on the upper edges of said lugs for closing said open bearings.

4. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of the thills of which are provided with suitable trunnions; of thill-couplings cach provided with bearing-lugs between which the thills are placed, and in the bearings of which said trunnions are journaled; a longitudinally-adjustable channeled case having sliding engagement with the sides and bottom of the head and adapted to cover said bearings; and devices for locking said case to said head.

5. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of the thills of which are provided with suitable trunnions; of thill-couplings consisting of a suitable head having corresponding lugs extending therefrom which are provided with open bearings, and a long'itudinally -adjustable channeled case comprising two side walls having sliding engagement with and adapted to inclose the side walls of the head, a web connecting' the lower edges of said side walls throughout their length, and bearing against the under side of the head; a longitudinal slot in said web; and a bolt extending' through said slot and through said head, and a nut therefor.

6. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of the thills of which are provided with suitable trunnions; of thill-couplings consisting of a suitable head having corresponding lug's extending' therefrom which are provided with open bearings for said trunnions which extend transversely therethrough; a longitudinally-adjustable channeled case having' side walls that lap against the sides of the head and are provided with recesses in their inner surfaces into which said trunnions extend, and said side walls being connected by a web coming next the under side of said head; and laterally-projecting wings on said side walls for covering said open bearings..

7. The combination with shafts for vehicles, the rear ends of whose thills are provided with suitable trunnions, of thill-couplings comprising each a head, parallel lugs projecting from the forward end of said head, notches in the upper edges of said lugs adapted to receive and normally retain said trunnions, a case comprising side walls having sliding engagement with the sides of the head, a web connecting the bottom sides of said side walls throughout their length, and bearing against the bottom of the head, and inwardly-projecting wings on the upper edges of said side IOO IlO

LYBRAN J. DILLON.

walls having sliding engagement on the upper edges of said lugs, adapted to be brought over said notches by longitudinal movement of said case and to retain said trunnions in said notches against abnormal upward movement, a slot in said web, and a screw through said slot engagingI said head, adapted to secure l WVitnesses:

M. FRIEL, FRANK D. THoMAsoN. 

